>

Cambridge – Social Anthropology

University of Cambridge Logo

Cambridge is the world’s top rated anthropology department, with a diverse community of researchers and students, and resources such as an anthropology museum, and a Visual Anthropology Lab with filmmaking equipment.

Students that would like to study with us can apply to our degree in Human Social and Political Sciences, and learn more about our Social Anthropology courses here.

The department has two great resources for people that want to know more about Social Anthropology: the Cambridge Encyclopedia of Anthropology, and the podcast series Camthropod.

Social Anthropology ✔️
Biological Anthropology ✔️
Material Culture/Archaeology ✔️
Entry Requirements A*AA/IB 40–42/20 or 21 at HL
Preferred Subjects No preferences
Single Honours?BA Human, Social and Political Sciences
BA Archaeology (Biological Anthropology is offered through the Archaeology course, either as a stand-alone track or as a combination with Archaeology)
Joint Honours?Social Anthropology with A) Politics and International Relations B) Sociology
BA Archaeology (Biological Anthropology is offered through the Archaeology course, either as a stand-alone track or as a combination with Archaeology)
Part-time option?No
Contact lmb97@cam.ac.uk
enquiries@socanth.cam.ac.uk

Cambridge – Biological Anthropology

University of Cambridge Biological Anthropology

Biological anthropology is an exciting subject comparing societies and cultures, looking at change over time and exploring human diversity through the lens of the biological sciences. At Cambridge, biological anthropology is taught as part of the undergraduate degree in archaeology and your studies will include topics ranging from human evolution, comparative human biology, primatology, genetics, health, diet and disease. Many of our biological anthropology graduates go on to further studies and careers in forensics, conservation, heritage, research, teaching and law amongst many others.

Social Anthropology ✔️
Biological Anthropology ✔️
Material Culture/Archaeology ✔️
Entry Requirements A*AA/IB 40–42/20 or 21 at HL
Preferred Subjects No preferences
Single Honours?BA Human, Social and Political Sciences
BA Archaeology (Biological Anthropology is offered through the Archaeology course, either as a stand-alone track or as a combination with Archaeology)
Joint Honours?Social Anthropology with A) Politics and International Relations B) Sociology
BA Archaeology (Biological Anthropology is offered through the Archaeology course, either as a stand-alone track or as a combination with Archaeology)
Part-time option?No
Contact lmb97@cam.ac.uk
enquiries@socanth.cam.ac.uk

    

Sample Lectures and Seminars

University College London

University College London Logo

At UCL Anthropology we study humanity in all its aspects: from our evolution as a species, to our relationship with the material/digital world, and our vast variety of social practices and cultural forms.

What distinguishes our degrees from other anthropology degrees in the UK is its intellectual breadth, bringing together Biological Anthropology, Social Anthropology, Material Culture and Medical Anthropology under a single programme of study.

The undergraduate degree programmes will prepare you for a wide range of career possibilities and teach you skills that are transferrable to a broad range of careers including teaching, social work, the civil service, the ‘not for profit’ sector and development, as well as advertising, the arts, museum curation, media, market research and business.

Social Anthropology ✔️
Biological Anthropology ✔️
Material Culture/Archaeology ✔️
Entry Requirements AAB (BBB Contextual)
Preferred Subjects No specific subjects. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL’s list of preferred A level subjects.
Single Honours? BSc Anthropology, BSc Anthropology with a Year Abroad.
Joint Honours?BA Archaeology and Anthropology, UCL Institute of Archaeology
Part-time option?No
Contact uganthro@ucl.ac.uk

UCL Anthropology is also where the Anthropology of Smartphones and Smart Ageing (ASSA) project is based. This project employed a team of 11 researchers who conducted simultaneous 16 month ethnographies in nine countries across four continents, looking at the impact of the smartphone on the experience of mid-life (people who do not consider themselves either young or elderly) around the world. The ASSA team has created a short trailer to introduce the project.

SOAS University of London

SOAS University of London Logo

Study Anthropology at SOAS and help to change the world, by gaining a deep understanding of its cultures, communities and complexities. Widen your horizons and learn from our world-class academics, who are experts in Asian, African and Middle Eastern cultures. Here, you’ll gain a broad education in anthropology, an infectious curiosity about the world and the tools you need to engage with urgent global issues.

Social Anthropology ✔️
Biological Anthropology
Material Culture/Archaeology
Entry Requirements AAB-ABB/ IB 35/665 HL
Preferred Subjects No preferences
Single Honours?BA Social Anthropology
Joint Honours?BA Social Anthropology and… Arabic*, Chinese*, Development Studies, East Asian Studies, Economics, History, History of Art, International Relations, Japanese*, Korean*, Languages and Cultures (3 or 4 years), Law, Linguistics, Music, Politics, World Philosophies
*4 year degree with compulsory year abroad
Part-time option?No
Contact study@soas.ac.uk

London School of Economics

London School of Economics Logo

Our degrees are designed for imaginative, critical thinkers who are passionate about understanding why the world is as it is – and about using the insights anthropology provides to make it better.

You will explore the incredible diversity of human experience, examining how different political, legal, and economic systems influence people’s beliefs, values and practices – and interrogating the very categories we use to describe the world, such as gender, religion, and culture.

In addition, you will explore how anthropological insights can be applied to make a difference: to see how legal systems could be made more just; how public health campaigns could be improved; and how development interventions could be made more effective.

Social Anthropology ✔️
Biological Anthropology
Material Culture/Archaeology
Entry Requirements AAB (ABB contextual)/ IB 37/666 HL
Preferred Subjects No preferences
Single Honours?BA Social Anthropology; BSc Social Anthropology
Joint Honours?BA Anthropology and Law.
Students admitted to the BA or BSc in Social Anthropology can also elect to undertake a specialism in Politics, International History, or a language. If a student takes a unit from one of these three disciplines in each year of their study, they will be eligible to graduate with the following degrees:
BA/BSc Social Anthropology with Politics
BA/BSc Social Anthropology with International History BA/BSc Social Anthropology with a Language
Part-time option?No
Contact Anthropology.Enquiries@lse.ac.uk

Bristol

University of Bristol Logo

At Bristol, our 4-field approach will introduce you to the history, theories and practice of anthropology, delivered by a friendly academic community at the forefront of their fields of research. Our courses will equip you to handle both data sets and concepts, and to interpret material and literary evidence confidently. There is plenty of opportunity to put theoretical knowledge and skills into practice via field work and practical projects.

Social Anthropology ✔️
Biological Anthropology ✔️
Material Culture/Archaeology ✔️
Entry Requirements AAB/ IB 34/17 HL (BBB/ IB 31/15 HL contextual)
Preferred SubjectsNo preferences
Single Honours?BA Anthropology
BA Archaeology and Anthropology
Joint Honours?MArts Anthropology with Innovation
Part-time option?No
Contact kit.opie@bristol.ac.uk
theresia.hofer@bristol.ac.uk

Queen’s University Belfast

Queen's University Belfast Logo

Anthropology at Queen’s University Belfast is taught in the School of History, Anthropology, Politics and Philosophy. We cover the breadth of social anthropology in teaching and research although we have specialised in ethnomusicology, the study of performance and creativity, boarder and migration, conflict and peacebuilding, religion, cognition and morality, and the use of ethnography in engagement for public policy. We encourage our students to study anthropology in interdisciplinary contexts, we share course with our colleagues in history, politics and philosophy and we work within the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, the Institute of Cognition and Culture and the Institute of Irish Studies.

To find out more contact: Prof. Dominic Bryan (d.bryan@qub.ac.uk)

Social Anthropology ✔️
Biological Anthropology
Material Culture/Archaeology
Entry Requirements ABB/IB 33/655 HL
Preferred Subjects No preferences
Single Honours?Anthropology BA
Joint Honours?Anthropology and English 3 yrs (QL36)
Anthropology and French 4 yrs (RL16)
Anthropology and History 3 yrs (VL16)
Anthropology and Irish 3 yrs (QL56)
Anthropology and Spanish 4 yrs (LR64)
Anthropology and International Relations 3 years (LL6F) Anthropology and Philosophy 3 years (LV65)
Anthropology and Politics 3 years (LL62)
Part-time option?No
Contact j.knight@qub.ac.uk
f.murphy@qub.ac.uk

A short video with some of our staff sitting at home discussing how anthropology can help us understand the impact of the pandemic:

Studying Ethnomusicology at Queen’s University Belfast. This video looks at the output of one of our teaching modules where students have put on a festival examining ‘radical music’:

This video takes a passionate look at peace building in our world. A number of anthropologists at Queen’s are involved in peacebuilding projects.

One of our student takes you on a tour around Queen’s:

Oxford Brookes University

Oxford Brookes University Logo

You’ll tackle some of the biggest issues our societies face – global migration and inequality, to disappearing wildlife and climate change. Your studies will take you across subjects, cultures, regions and species; while examining the foundations of human societies. You’ll graduate with the skills and knowledge to respond to societal and global challenges.

Social Anthropology ✔️
Biological Anthropology ✔️
Material Culture/Archaeology
Entry Requirements BCC/IB 29
Preferred Subjects No preferences
Single Honours? BSc Anthropology/ BA Social Anthropology/ BSc Biological Anthropology in 2022
Joint Honours?Anthropology with: Communication, Media and Culture/ Criminology/ English Literature/ Geography/ History/ History of Art/ International Relations/ Philosophy/ Sociology.
Part-time option?Yes
Contact social.sciences@brookes.ac.uk

Liverpool John Moores University

Liverpool John Moores University Logo

Liverpool John Moores University runs courses in BSc (Hons) Forensic Anthropology, MSc Forensic Anthropology and BSc (Hons) Human Evolution and Behaviour. Our courses are taught by a research-active team whose expertise includes forensic and evolutionary anthropology, archaeology, mass grave recovery, human ecology, genetics and environmental reconstruction.

Social Anthropology
Biological Anthropology ✔️
Material Culture/Archaeology
Entry Requirements 2 A Levels, 112 UCAS points/ IB 26
Preferred Subjects Science or Social Science subjects (including Anthropology)
Single Honours?BSc (Hons) Forensic Anthropology
BSc (Hons) Human Evolution and Behaviour
MSc Forensic Anthropology
Joint Honours?
Part-time option?No
Contact scienceadmissions@ljmu.ac.uk
Student shown working on a skull in a laboratory

Durham University

Durham University Logo
Logo from Durham Anthropology showing students and the campus

Durham Anthropology is a large interdisciplinary department, teaching Social Anthropology (through our BA Anthropology) Evolutionary Anthropology (through our BSc Anthropology) and the Anthropology of Health (through our BSc Health and Human Sciences).

All our single honours degrees share the same interdisciplinary first year, before offering the opportunity to specialise in years two and three.  We also offer joint honours programmes with Archaeology, Sociology and Psychology.

Fieldwork and methods training is at the heart of our degree programme and all students learn basic qualitative and quantitative methods in year one, practice them in local field trips in year two, and participate in a funded two-week field school in year three.  We encourage all our students to draw on this expertise and carry out independent research in their dissertations.

Social Anthropology ✔️
Biological Anthropology ✔️
Material Culture/Archaeology ✔️
Entry Requirements AAB (reduction of up to 2 grades contextually)/IB 36
Preferred SubjectsNo preferences
Single Honours?BA Anthropology (L602); BSc Anthropology (L601); BSc Health and Human Sciences (B991)
Joint Honours?BA Anthropology and Archaeology (L654); BA Anthropology and Sociology (LL36); BSc Psychology and Anthropology (CL86)
Part-time option?No
Contact rosie.legg@durham.ac.uk